Grace Dixon, The Cherokee Baby
by WhisperOfTruth
Summary: What if Daryl had a little girl he gave up. What if she survived. What if she remembered his face and the hurt her daddy had caused. OC Grace Dixon
1. Memories

_**Hey all, **_

_**I have this really cool idea where Daryl had a little girl with an ex and he abandoned them due to being scared. I am going to write up a story where they bump into each other as the group make runs further away from the prison and into her home town. Hopefully you'll all like it**_

_**Whisper 3**_

Her earliest memory was of a dark room. She remembers being cold and with a strange lady. She remembers her mama lying covered in a big white sheet and she remembers being lifted to kiss her mama's cheek.

Her next memory is being sat in a dingy little house, at a kitchen table with a mug of water and a packet of Cheetos. She remembers a young man, barely out of his teens, pacing around like a mad man. She remembers a bigger man, shouting at him, then coming through an asking her questions. It goes fuzzy for a while until she is put into a big blue truck, strapped in and she's driven away to a big blue and white house, a huge sign outside that her young eyes can't read yet. The man that she had been told was her daddy, picks her up out of the truck and walks her to the door, a woman waiting with the door open. He pulls out his wallet and hands her the money it contains. Just a few dollars and cents. She remembers looking up at the adults who were talking. She can remember the words orphanage and mama. She remembers the tears as he looks down and says sorry, going back to his truck and driving away.

Her next memory is a few years after, she's sitting in the tiny tree house in the yard of the orphanage, her name being called. She was always alone. She had always liked being on her own. She was used to it by now. "Grace Dixon! What on earth are you doing up there? Come down at once young lady, I won't have you miss church again" the lady waited as Grace slowly made her way down. Mrs Runes had always been strict with her, Grace didn't want to go to church and she didn't believe in Jesus. Her mama told her stories of her ancestors. She only remembered the one about the Cherokee Rose's.


	2. Do I know you?

_**Chapter 2- Do I know you?**_

By the time she was 15, her world had gone even deeper into the shit. She thought it was pretty funny really, like some sick horror film. She'd always loved Zombie films. And now the dead were walking. This would be a piece of cake. She hadn't realised how wrong she had been.

The films didn't show you running, non-stop for days at a time. They didn't show you having to climb trees so they couldn't get you, they didn't show you having to piss yourself because you're stuck in some god forsaken tree due to some weirdo's having a bad case of the munchies.

A few weeks must have passed and Grace was exhausted. She didn't want to run anymore, running was for pussies. Enough was enough. It was time to take out these mindless monsters. She picked through her bag, seeing what she had collected since this had all started. A tin of tuna, some cereal bars half a bottle of water, a small first aid kid, change of clothes and a few other, useless bits. She sighed to herself. "Well fuck..." she swore, annoyed. She looked around the small group of cars she had been passing, checking them for supplies. She needed water at least; the summer in Columbus was way too hot. She was heading north, somewhere colder. Fort benning had been just outside of where she grew up and that was long gone now crawling with those things. Then she saw it, big and shiny next to small and sleek. "Bingo" she whispered softly to herself. One big, shiny Buck knife and a small sleek Revolver . With extra ammunition . She picked them both up and felt their weight. Perfect. She was almost ready to move on when she found keys in the car. She got into the driver's seat, practiced a bit and she thanked her gods that she was so lucky as she drove off.

**One year later.**

Grace had found a house a few months back, a big one with big gates to keep that dead out. She lied off the food she grew and the water she had scavenged. The last time she had seen anyone was well over six months ago and she was more than surprised to see lights from a car, shining against her windows. She grabbed her gun, this gun was a military one she had taken from a dead solider. She crouched by the stairs and aimed for the door. She heard the voices outside and waited. The door handle turned and popped open. As it opened, she stood and growled.

A man, a man she remembered. A man she wanted to forget. She growled at him again in a low voice as he raised his Crossbow. "Y'all get the fuck out of my house.. " she spoke angrily as kinder looking man stepped forward. "We're not here to hurt you , we're just looking for somewhere to stay the night. Look", he said pointing to a dark haired woman that reminded her of her mama. "That's my wife, she's gonna have a baby but tonight she needs some rest, maybe even a bed if you have one spare." His pleading eyes broke through her barriers and she lowered her gun. She eyed the entire group before turning to the man from her past. She spat on his shirt and looked at him, disgusted to be in his presence. "This man, is a dog, he stays outside or all of you go." She heard a few gasps from the women and smiled. "You will remember me Dixon.. just think of Mariah and the rose's" and with that she disappeared up the stairs.

The group looked at Daryl and Rick stepped forward. "You wanna tell me what that was all about then" he said, standing in front of Daryl. Daryl stood there, pale and sweating. He had known who she was as soon as he had seen those big blue eyes. His eyes


	3. Chapter 3- Baby Blue Eyes

_**Chapter 3- Baby blue eyes**_

Grace slammed the door of her room. She sank to the floor and sobbed. Why? Why had everything gone to shit once more? She knew he had known her, she looked so much like her mother and his reaction had made her certain. She took heaving breaths, trying to force herself to calm down and slowly she relaxed. She heard hushed voices through the thin flooring and smiled. He wasn't planning on making this easy for him at all. She wanted him to feel the pain that she had felt when he left that blue eyed child alone in what could only be described as the pits of hell.

She was a woman now, she hadn't counted the days but she guessed over a year had passed since the dead had started walking. She must be coming up to her seventeenth. She felt strange somehow. She felt as if she shouldn't act so harshly, he may of changed. But she pushed the thoughts and feelings aside. She didn't care if he had changed. She couldn't care.

"Daryl?" Rick said calmly, waving a hand in front of his face. Daryl was stood, staring blankly, eyes looking at the stairs. He snapped out of his haze when T-Dog. Rick repeated his name again and Daryl looked at him. "I hear ya asshole, gimme a minute yeah?" he said, putting his bow down as he leant against the wall. Carol came up in front of him and looked at him. "Daryl, you know that girl don't you? Who is she?" she said softly, trying not to push her friend.

"That's, uhh.. Grace, she's umm.." he cleared his throat and rubbed a hand over his tired face. "Daughter.. my daughter" he said, hi voice cracking slightly under the emotion of everything. Thoughts rushing around in his head like hundreds of wasps, stinging him each time they popped up. Would she remember what he did? Did she hate him? Of course she hates ya, ya left her all alone that even I wouldn't put ya baby brother, the voice of his brother speaking to him.

The group was shocked. They didn't know much of Daryl's past but a child? What else was he hiding? "Daryl, you mind explaining why that girl your calling daughter just spat on you called you a dog?" Rick spoke angrily. This wasn't what they needed. They needed rest and food, instead more baby issues, the group had enough of those with Lori.

Daryl breathed slowly, gathering his thoughts. "Her ma and me, we met a while back and we had a thing going on, nothin' serious but Grace and child services turned up at my door…Mariah died, caught a real bad flu and just didn't make it…I was just a kid, barely nineteen and I'm told that I'm a dad...I freaked out, I took her to this big orphanage place, loads a kids, didn't know what else to do.. I left her there, she was just so little and I ain't even held a baby before" he stuttered and stammered his way through, the group listening, staring at him. "I left her there, Merle didn't want me to, he said anywhere else but it was the nearest… I got letters and stuff, telling me about her, but I haven't seen her since when I left her." He looked around, all these damn fucking emotions he thought, he didn't know what to say to make it sound better.

A creak on the stairs was heard, every head turned toward Grace who was sat on the top stair, a tear streaked smile that anyone would call evil, on her face.


	4. Chapter 4- Time

_**Chapter 4-Time**_

Rick stood, facing the girl. Everyone was shocked; Daryl himself was probably terrified of this situation. "How about you come down here so we can talk huh? I could come up to you if that's better" He said slowly, taking small steps towards the girl. She backed up, the smiled falling from her face.

"Don't.." she said quietly. She stood, starting to head back upstairs when the small hunger pains in her stomach grew suddenly. She groaned and moved slowly down the stairs and towards the group. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Daryl opened his mouth to speak and she held a hand up, cutting him off. "I don't want to hear it.." she said plainly. She walked cautiously around the group, to the small pile of her supplies. She opened a tin, eating in quickly and licking her lips she turned, seeing the pregnant lady, looking at a can of fruit longingly. Grace sighed inwardly, picking it up and opening it, before handing it to her. Lori smiled up at her and Grace simply nodded.

She heard a small snort of laughter and turned her head seeing a small boy, no older then she was, looking at her. "What?" she spoke quietly. Carl shrugged his smile dropping slightly, "You just looked like Daryl then.." he said before realising it was the wrong thing to say.

"I AM NOTHING LIKE THAT THING" she shouted into Carls face. She stormed back upstairs, not knowing she was being followed by two of the women.

Hearing a knock she opened the door quickly, ready to punch that kid in the face. It wasn't the boy however, it was the pregnant woman and a woman she hadn't really noticed. A woman with short greying hair. She was the first to speak.

"I know you don't want to see any of us, but can we just talk to you quickly. Give everything time and im su.." Grace gave her no time to finish. Slamming the door and locking it, she sat down on the bed of her room. Time? He'd had enough of that…


	5. Chapter 5- Please

_**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, hope you like the new chapter and as always, I'd love more reviews..**_

_**Whisper x**_

_**Chapter 5-Please..**_

Lori and Carol descended the stairs Lori shrugged at the others, all of them already knowing that it wasn't going well. Everyone was quiet and fidgeting, Daryl being the worst out of all of them. He was pacing, his fist's clenched. While Lori and Carol had been upstairs, Rick had tried talking to Daryl but it only made him more agitated. It was only when Carol cleared her throat and spoke that everyone got up and did their own things.

"Right, why don't we all set up for the night and I'll see if there's some food in this place. Daryl… come over here.." She said the last part softly and slowly he moved towards her. He looked down at the floor and stood by the kitchen counter. Carol sighed, looking at him. "This isn't your fault…you were young and you didn't have much choice, she'll understand, she fo…" Carols voice was drowned out by a single gunshot from outside.

"WALKERS"

Glenn's voice was heard by everyone and they immediately started packing up, getting back into the cars.

Grace had heard their shout and grabbed her bag, shoving things into it quickly. She picked up her weapons and opened the door, making sure to grab any supplies she could. Once more, he home was being taken from her. Running down stairs and seeing Glenn, she grabbed his arm.

"How did they get in?"

"We didn't lock the gate properly" he said, shrugging off her hand and she was left standing there as the others made their way outside. She didn't have a car anymore to lack of fuel and she certainly didn't have time to refill. She snapped out of her thoughts by someone pushing her out of the door and to one of the cars. Daryl. She turned round and looked at him, ready to push him away but he had stepped back, raising his hands to show he wasn't going to touch her. "Please.. Just out of here.. ain't got time to fight.." He quickly mumbled before jumping onto his bike. She looked at the group, their first car already gone and she got into the back seat, next to Carol.

Shoving her bag on the floor as the car drove away, she knew that now, she was stuck with these people for the time being.


	6. Chapter 6- Camping

_**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, hope you like the new chapter and as always, I'd love more reviews..**_

_**Whisper x**_

_**Chapter 6-Camp out.**_

The group had set up their tents, Carol and Lori sat by the fire, cooking for the group. They had already shared out two cans of sweetcorn yet she refused to eat. She sat a distance from them all, her own tiny fire warming her hands. Carol, Lori, Hershel and Maggie had tried talking to her, tried getting her to eat and she had ignored them all, or walked away.

Soon enough, food was being served. Squirrel caught by Daryl. They all knew that she was hungry and Daryl kept his head down, not knowing how to deal with this new situation. Finally when the food was served, her stomach started growling. Lori heard and went to give her some meat but Grace stood quickly, glaring.

"I said I don't want your damn food.. I'll get my own" she said, her anger flaring. She turned her back on the group and headed out further into the wooded area. Rick followed, catching up with her.

"Hey.. Hey Hey.. now just stop, where the hell are you going? There could be walkers around here.." he said, trying to block her.

"I'm going to get my own food, and trust me, I can handle myself just fine" she said, before walking off into the twilight night.

She returned after an hour, with one fat rabbit. She pulled out a knife from her bag and started skinning it, putting the meat into a small container she carried. She stoked her own fire and started cooking the meat. She would eat well tonight and suddenly she realized that they group was watching her. This animal would feed them all, and looking upon Lori once more, she was reminded of her mother. She carried on cooking the rabbit, taking a little for herself and putting the rest in the container. Standing up, she walked to Lori, handing her the food.

"You need it more then I do." She said softly before returning to her space, leaning against a tree.

Pulling out her fleece jacket, she wrapped herself up after she had eaten. She knew some were still watching, and she sighed, "I'm not planning in running off into the night, I need supplies and I'm more likely to find them while I'm with you."

She looked around at them all and finally her eyes fell on her father. His head hung in his hands. Carol and Hershel by his side and when he finally looked up, his eyes were red. She looked down and cuddled into herself, slowly but surely falling asleep with a feeling she was uneasy with. Guilt.


	7. Chapter 7- Talking

_**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, hope you like the new chapter and as always, I'd love more reviews..**_

_**Whisper x**_

_**Chapter 7-Talking**_

It had been nearly two weeks since she had met this group of survivors. Slowly she had started talking to them, never more than two or three words but it was something. As much as she still felt pain and anger towards her father, she felt guilt for making him so.. well sad. Her mother always said she had a kind heart but she felt sick sometimes when she thought about how her mother would have been disappointed for making him so upset. He wasn't crying, but he looked pained and scared.

He had tried speaking to her, and her head told her to be blank. Her heart took over and even though she didn't say anything, she shrugged at his questions.

It was a step atleast. She was trying for her mother.

The group had now stopped at a house, they had been there for three days and she had been sleeping in the living room, curled up an armchair. It was mid afternoon and she had to be put on watch the night before due to Rick being exhausted. She slept soundly until she heard some of the group moving around in the room she slept in, starting a fire near the fireplace for their dinner. She got up, moving out of Carols way and went to the small seating area in the kitchen. She sat down and put her head on her arms. The next thing she knew she was being woken up by Beth, telling her dinner was ready if she wasn't to join them. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes, looking around, seeing her father sat on the kitchen counter.

"I uh… I know ya still don't wanna eat with us so I uh… I got some extra for ya if ya want it and all.. " he said, putting down two plump squirrels in front of her. She looked at them and heard his feet moving warily side to side.

"One will do.. " she said quietly, taking the smallest of the two. He nodded and shrugged.

"Keep the other for tomorrow.."

"Thank you Daryl." She said softly.

Somewhere above, she knew her mother was smiling.


End file.
